Antivirus software guards your computer from malware-related infections. This includes viruses, Trojans, spyware, rootkits, adware, and worms. It also assists in identifying and repair the damage done by these threats.
Antivirus software is an essential component for every computer or mobile device. They can protect against hacker attacks, detect and remove phishing attacks ransomware, and spam emails. They can also guard connected devices such as printers, SmartTVs, cameras, and other appliances from malware-related infections too.
When choosing an antivirus software, choose one that has been thoroughly tested and received good reviews by independent laboratories. Organisations like Virus Bulletin, TechRadar, NSS Labs and AV Comparatives conduct tests and provide thorough analysis of various antivirus alternatives. They will let you know what protections they offer as well as how the program performs, and if it is worth your money.
While traditional antivirus software relies on the signature, or binary pattern, of a virus to identify it as malicious, most hackers have stayed ahead this by creating oligomorphic polymorphic, and most recently metamorphic viruses which encrypt a portion of themselves or change their appearance so that they don’t match the signatures of antivirus databases. Newer antivirus software is designed to be more effective against these sophisticated malware threats through the sandbox method, which runs the file in an environment that simulates the way it behaves prior to allowing it into the system.
